Aggies manhandle UTEP in 57-7 beatdown at Kyle Field

COLLEGE STATION — Late last season, Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said quarterback Johnny Manziel’s numbers “spoke for themselves” concerning his campaign for the Heisman Trophy.

In the days leading to the Aggies’ Saturday night game against UTEP, an apparently frustrated Sumlin finally opted to speak for the numbers of sophomore receiver Mike Evans, who’s earned little attention in this year’s Heisman campaign despite putting up spectacular statistics over the first two-thirds of the season.

“I’m puzzled why Mike Evans isn’t in the Heisman race,” Sumlin said. “He’s as good a player as there is in the country.”

The Aggies’ “other” best player in the country, however, continued making his case for a second consecutive Heisman following A&M’s 57-7 hammering of UTEP before 87,126 fans in Kyle Field, while Evans continued doing his part in the Southeastern Conference’s top offense.

Manziel finished 16 of 24 for 273 yards and four touchdowns, and for good measure added two rushing touchdowns (including a highlight-reel special for 49 yards) on seven carries for 67 yards, in a little more than two quarters of work. In doing so, he produced his ninth career game of five or more touchdowns — and he’s only late in his sophomore season.

Meanwhile, Evans snagged four catches for 46 yards and a touchdown, all in the second half following an atypically quiet first two quarters. Evans owns 12 touchdown catches this season, tying the school record set three years ago by Jeff Fuller, and the Aggies have four games remaining.

Early against the Miners (1-7), the Aggies (7-2) had no use for any Heisman chat — they were just making sure to earn a victory against outmanned UTEP, which led 7-2 late in the first quarter before A&M got on track with its usual offensive outburst.

Following a quiet first quarter, at least by A&M’s high-flying standards, A&M scored four touchdowns — two by air and two by ground — to put the game away before the Aggie Band sprinted onto the field at halftime. In a rarity this season, A&M’s defense scored on its opening possession — a safety following a blocked punt by Floyd Raven — while the Aggies’ offense failed to score a touchdown on its opening drive for the first time in eight games.

“We got off to a slow start,” Aggies running back Ben Malena said. “Things weren’t clicking throwing the ball, so we started running the ball and got things going.”

Added Sumlin: “We were just a little bit off the first couple of series. We just weren’t as sharp as we usually are. We (finally) kicked it into gear.”

Even when Manziel appeared human, fumbling midway through the third quarter with teammate Jarvis Harrison recovering, he countered with a sharp 57-yard pass across the middle to LaQuvionte Gonzalez on the next play.

Freshman Kenny Hill took over for Manziel midway through the third quarter and quickly led A&M to its eighth touchdown of the evening. Hill, who typically is the third quarterback behind Manziel and junior Matt Joeckel, marched the Aggies 76 yards on his initial drive, capped by a 14-yard touchdown run by Trey Williams.